Comments | amethysted_ink: Inspired by Karyn: Summer Reading List Review #1

amethysted_ink

Inspired by Karyn: Summer Reading List Review #1

May 31, 2008 02:21

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.

I did not think I would like this book. From what I had gathered of Ayn Rand's Objectivism philosophy, it did not seem up my alley. "Why would someone denounce altruism?" my bleeding-heart liberal mind pondered. But I figured I should at least read it. It's one of the most important novels to come from the past ( Read more... )

Comments 5

aznina May 31 2008, 23:03:10 UTC

The Fountainhead is one of my favorite books EVER, but I don't agree with all of it either. I think the objectivist philosophy is too idealistic: it would only work in a utopian society where everyone is willing to stay in their place and the leaders really do have pure motives. I do agree that Americans are way too consumed with displaying their empathy toward others in an attempt to make themselves look better. And I love her critiques of "art for art's sake"!

Read Atlas Shrugged next! It's even more intense.

demoralyzer June 1 2008, 03:58:59 UTC

That book changed my life, really amazing. I remember flying through it as well.

spider_matt June 1 2008, 17:31:19 UTC

As a guy who often describes himself as an Objectivist (though mostly out of convenience to quickly get my point across since I don't agree with Rand on everything), I found The Fountainhead to be much more enjoyable than Atlas Shrugged. I do love Shrugged, but Fountainhead, in my opinion, had a better story and better characters. Who is John Galt? Who cares! Howard Roark is quite possibly my favorite literary protagonist.

FYI (though I'm not sure you care), The Fountainhead was published in '43.

It's awesome that you enjoyed the book. I'm so used to people I know tearing the book apart that I'm really kind of stunned that you not only liked it, but agreed with parts of it. Anyway, in case you're interested, here's part 1 of a good interview with the "devil" herself.

amethysted_ink June 1 2008, 22:36:18 UTC

Wow, it's interesting to watch her in the flesh. I like what she had to say about men deliberately not crying being a sign of weakness.

And yes, I realized it was published after the 1930's, but I said it was written in the 1930's. So, y'know. Just sayin'.

I'll have to read Atlas Shrugged at some point. : )

spider_matt June 2 2008, 10:03:09 UTC

The rest of the interview is pretty good, as well.